


Still With You

by kenmashoodie



Category: Banana Fish (Anime & Manga), Manga - Fandom, anime - Fandom
Genre: M/M, Manga & Anime
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-23
Updated: 2021-01-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:41:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27166729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kenmashoodie/pseuds/kenmashoodie
Summary: "Eiji," the young fourteen year old gang leader mumbled against the phone he held. "I'm so fucking sorry, Eiji.""Sing? I just left, did I leave my toothbrush or something?" Eiji joked, nervously laughing into his phone speaker.Sing's voice broke in between his words. "Ash - he died. He was found dead at the library- you know, the one you guys always went to. Stabbed, they said. They said he could've survived it but he chose not to go to the hospital or get any help.""That's not funny, Sing."Ash and Eiji were complete opposites. One, a gang leader, and the other an innocent photographer. But they did always say opposites attract.
Relationships: Ash Lynx & Okumura Eiji, Ash Lynx/Okumura Eiji, Blanca/Lee Yut-Lung
Comments: 4
Kudos: 49





	1. That's not Funny

"Eiji," the young fourteen year old gang leader mumbled against the phone he held. "I'm so fucking sorry, Eiji."

"Sing? I just left, did I leave my toothbrush or something?" Eiji joked, nervously laughing into his phone speaker.

Sing's voice broke in between his words. "Ash - he died. He was found dead at the library- you know, the one you guys always went to. Stabbed, they said. They said he could've survived it but he chose not to go to the hospital or get any help."

"That's not funny, Sing." Eiji kept his hands wrapped tightly around the phone, slurring his words in disbelief. This had to be a joke, right? Ash was just fine before they left for Japan, right? No, Ash didn't go say goodbye to him at the airport. 

"I didn't know that fucker would do that to us- to you.. to me."

Eiji stayed silent, until Ibe spoke up form Eiji's end of the line. "Ei-Eiji, what's wrong? Why are you crying?"

"I'm crying?" Eiji pulled one of his hands away from the phone and reached for his face. "Oh, I am crying." The young Japanese boy put the phone on speaker and placed it on the table in front of Ibe and himself. wiping his tears away, he whispered a quiet "Can you please tell me what happened again, Sing..?"

"He's dead, at the hospital right now. Lao's dead too, but I can't care for someone who did that to you. I'm sorry, Eiji." Sing's voice broke into multiple sobs and the phone connection ended. 

Ibe placed his hand on the poor boy's shoulder. "Eiji, who died?" He turned Eiji to face his body carefully. "Ash?" He whispered, looking at Eiji who was rapidly wiping his tears away. "H-How? We were just there, we were just in New York with them." 

"Si-ng said that Lao had stabbed him.. and Ash didn't go to the hospital - instead going to the library. He died, he died alone, Ibe-san! i promised I'd never leave him alone, i said i'd be there for him on his death bed. Why would that big jerk just go and walk to the library instead of a hospital, ibe? Ash, that big, stupid, jerk." Ibe could do nothing but hug the young boy and hold him. Eiji would have preferred someone else's arms around him, but that person wasn't there. All Eiji wanted was Ash, but this was the best he could get.

The two were in the airport in Japan, Having had just gotten off of their plane, they were standing with their suitcases by their side. Eiji, of course, was still in his wheelchair.

Ibe could only whisper a quiet, "Your family is waiting for you," to the young boy who was still covering his face with his sleeves. Ibe easily spotted Eiji's sister, mom, and dad, holding a "Welcome Home" sign. His family had obviously been able to find out all the trouble Eiji got in during his stay in America. Ibe had to tell them everything, over the phone, for starters. They were, very upset and worried, but in a strange way glad that he had been able to meet someone else who he had trusted. 

"Ibe," Eiji called. "Ibe, please will you take me back to New York? Please, just tell my family what happened. They'd understand, please, Ibe. I need to see him, this can't be real. And if it is, I want to see him just.. just one last time. Please, Ibe." 

Eiji had healed on his way back to America. He could now limp everywhere instead of demanding a person to push him around. He refused crutches, and headed to America with Ibe. Eiji, on the plane ride back to America would, and could not stop crying. Flying around the familiar area, he spotted places that he and Ash had shared sweet memories with. When they finally got off, the fourteen year old gang leader wrapped his arms around Eiji, followed by Max, Bones, Alex, and Kong. 

"It's closed. I mean, the library's closed right now because of it. After.. lao had stabbed Ash.. Ash shot him and left him in the place it happened. The only people allowed inside right now are us and the police," Max explained. He had obviously been crying too, he had lost ash's older brother and now Ash, too.

They had all finished greeting and comforting each other and had decided to go to the library to place flowers at the seat he was found, Eiji's seat.

"You okay, eiji?" Sing asked, tossing him a water bottle. They were currently in a car, making their way towards the New York Public Library. 

"No, not really, but thanks for asking," he said with a small and weak smile, grabbing the water bottle. He was trying to stay positive and happy for himself and Sing, and Ash. But Eiji could feel his breath shortening and he soon could only breathe in small gasps. Shortly after, his legs and body were shaking uncontrollably and tears were starting to run down his cheeks. his heart was beating fast, too fast. 

"Eiji, are you okay?!" Ibe panicked, reaching his arms over the car seat and turning around in the moving car. 

Sing ordered, also watching the boy, "Max, stop the car!" Eiji sat with his head in his lap uncomfortably, his arms chained together above his head.

"He's having a panic attack," Max said, out of experience. "I'll turn the car around, we're going somewhere else."

"Eiji, remember when we were all so scared of waking Ash up after he asked us to wake him up? And- and we all ran and hid, expecting you to be murdered by him when you tried to wake him up and all of a sudden he woke up calmly and stumbled away? We were so confused."

"We was so scared of Ash but you came in and changed everything. We was so surprised when he didn't kill you the second he woke up! You were our lord and savior for the next, uh, month!"

Eiji let out a sad chuckle and loosened his grip on his hands that were still covering the back of his head slightly. "Remember that one time we had that halloween party, Eiji? Remember how scared Ash looked? Man, I can remember his face when he saw all the pumpkins hanging around the room. I can feel his glare on me right now, me talking about him like this."

Eiji laughed quietly and slowly let go of his hands. He put his face in his palms again, "Can you imagine a gang leader - scared of pumpkins? He was really.. he was really.. something special."

"That's right, Eiji." Kong said, lightly patting his head. "Calm down, you're gonna be okay."

"We're not going to the library anymore. Let's go get some food, yeah?"

"How'd you guys know what to do?" Ibe asked, patting Eiji's head softly. 

The three gang members sighed, and Alex crossed his arms. "Ash, because of his childhood trauma, frequently had panic attacks of his own."


	2. "The mail's here!" & "A Real Waxy Cake!"

It had been two months since Eiji found out, and a month and a half since they had got to America. He still was upset over Ash's sudden death and couldn't go anywhere near the library he died at. Eiji and Sing were currently in the apartment that Ibe and Eiji stayed in ever since they got back to America.

The Japanese boy was sitting at the kitchen counter and doing a crossword puzzle in which he was just about to rage quit in. The two boys then heard their buzzer go off and Sing called the door. Only seeing a small, light box in the arms of a man. "Hey, you guys haven't been checking your apartment mailbox so I decided to come take this up to you guys. Hope I wasn't a bother," he said, handing Sing the box and trotting away with a bounce in his step.

"Eiji, the mail's here!" Sing yelled, bringing the small package into the apartment. "It's for you, want to open it?"

Eiji nodded and grabbed a kitchen knife and sliced the box in half. Sing watched as Eiji's eyes started to water and how Eiji tightly clasped his hands to his mouth out of shock and fear. "What's wrong, Ei? you feeling another one coming, or somethin'?"

Eiji rapidly shook his head and grabbed the small, obviously disturbed piece of paper that was inside of the box. It was the letter he wrote to Ash. The police had taken it in for evidence but when they realized it had nothing to do with Ash's sudden death, they sent it back to Eiji, the name that was signed.

"Is that..?" Sing questioned, sneaking behind Eiji's shoulder. Sing, being the one that was trusted with the job of giving the letter to Ash, knew exactly what it was. He knew that this would disturb Eiji and could easily cause another breakdown from the male that cared for the young blonde gang leader so much. Multiple drops of Ash's blood were on the paper, harshly unsettling the two black haired boys. Eiji was really to crumble up the paper and push away his feelings but Sing had stopped him.

"We both know that Ash wouldn't want you to crumble it up and throw it away. I know he might not have been able to read it but he treasured it the second I told him it was from you.. that's something he would do for only you, Eiji."

He took in account Sing's words and loosened his grip on the paper and placed it flat on the counter. He flattened the paper with his arms and mumbled, "Sing, I miss Ash. And this is strange, me, someone way older than you, is the one thats breaking down in front of you so much."

Sing chuckled softly and leaned back. "It's alright, we all miss him too, whether we want to admit it or not."

Ash's main gang, Sing, and Max were all hiding under a table, waiting for Eiji and Ibe to return to their apartment to surprise them with a party for their five month mark of staying in America. they had prepared a cake, food, desserts, and presents from each person for the two of them. However, it had been hours since they prepared everything and hours since they thought Ibe and Eiji would be home.

The light suddenly turned on and the door opened, revealing Ibe and Eiji holding shopping bags, wearing scarves and jackets. The group all jumped out from under the table, struggling because they had been under the table for so long that their legs and arms were numb. "Happy five months in America, you two!" Max, Alex, and Bones screeched, loud enough for the neighbors to file a complaint or think there was a murder happening.

Eiji and Ibe thanked the whole group and laughed around. "You guys really hid under a table for six hours waiting for us to come back?!" Eiji laughed, bringing his eyes to tears. "Yes! We didn't know you decided to go shopping for a whole six hours!" Bones complained, Alex slapping his shoulder.

"We got you a cake and lit it up a while ago.. it's a real waxy cake. We got rid of the fire but the wax wouldn't come off.." Eiji laughed again, reaching to look at the cake, only to have it tip over on top of his head. The whole group of people laughed and pointed at Eiji, who was sitting on the floor, laughing his ass off.

"It's a good cake, though!! Try it, guys! Props to whoever made this!" Ibe and Max scraped off some pieces of the cake off of the plate and ate it, humming in agreement with Eiji.

"We're sorry this party didn't turn out that well, guys.." Kong frowned, sitting on the floor and holding a broken piece of cake that he had scraped from the plate.

"Are you kidding? This is the happiest i've been since.. a long time ago!" Eiji said, instantly remembering the last time he was happy. "Thank you for the five month anniversary party, guys! I hope we can stay here longer."

"Yeah, we were so surprised, I almost went into cardiac arrest when i saw Alex jump out from under the table two seconds earlier than the rest of you! Try to take it easy on an old man like me!"

The group was engulfed in laughter once again and they all forgot their problems for the rest of the night. That party that was for Ibe and Eiji ended up making everybody a little bit happier than before, even if it was just a little.


	3. "I Love You"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading my first work here!!

Trigger warning - contains suicide, depression

Behind the layer of false happiness that Eiji showed everybody, was his real emotions. Sure, it had been five months since he got the news about Ash, but Eiji had a connection with Ash. He knew, no, he thought he could never move on from him. He knew they were soulmates. Eiji repeatedly cried himself to sleep and changing his emotions when someone walks in. He masked his emotions pretty well, pretending he wasn't effected by Ash's death. Unfortunately, his death caused Eiji another level of sadness. Eiji could no longer go near the library that they had once shared a moment at, knowing it was where Ash went to die. When Eiji was told that Ash could have easily survived but chose to die, he was upset. He knew ash would do anything to protect him. He knew ash would sacrifice himself to make sure his friends, his gang, and Eiji were all safe. And he did.

Eiji was - to put it short, depressed, he couldn't do anything normal without thinking about Ash. He couldn't eat hot dogs without thinking of him. He couldn't smell the strong scent of mustard without thinking about the moment that they shared. Nobody knew the pain that Eiji was going through without Ash. not even Ibe, not even Sing.

Sing had lost his half brother and his new close friend. Max had lost Ash's older brother and Ash now, too. Everybody was grieving ash's death in different ways and Eiji was the one that was effected the most.

"Should I.. just end it? I can't deal with this anymore.. no, that would be selfish. I have my little sister, my mom, my dad, Ibe-san, Max, Bones, Alex, and Kong. They would probably be upset over me if i chose to do what i want to do," Eiji said, while tears were running down his cheeks. "I guess i'm a selfish bastard, then. I'm sorry, guys. I can't deal with this anymore."

Ibe wasn't home at the time, he was with max, photographing the nighttime landscape in new york. Sing was doing normal gang leader things, leaving Eiji at home, alone.

Eiji walked over to their apartment's balcony, tears still streaming down his face. Hopping onto the railing, he thought, "Wow, if I had done this before I even went to America I'd be scared of this, but after being put through everything that happened, seems like I'm not even scared of heights anymore."

He sighed, relaxing onto the ledge. "Ash, you big idiot. I came in for an interview, and I, for some reason decided it was a great idea to become friends with you! I came in, looking for an interview with a gang leader, ending up finding out you're scared of pumpkins. I came in, looking for an interview with a gang leader, not knowing that I'd end up knowing everything about him and being miserable when he _selfishly_ decided to leave me." he mumbled out to the sky, knowing it'd listen to him.

He wiped his tears with his long sleeves and looked up at the bright moon and the stars. Funny to think that once, Ash was looking at the moon with him. "He looked at the moon before, and now he's gone. i wonder it notices that he's not here anymore." He whispered to nobody in particular. "Because i sure as hell wish I didn't remember him. Lucky ass moon. If i do this, maybe he'll be there waiting for me." He tugged his shoes off of his feet, leaving him in white socks. He placed it right in front of the black metal fence and turned back around at the night sky. This time, he didn't see just the moon and stars.

"You sure you want to forget me," the voice came from the owner of a set of beautiful jade green eyes. His hair seemed brighter than it was before, but his pale skin stayed the same. His aura was golden, shining around him and sparkling in the night sky. "Don't do it, you old hag."

"A-Ash?" Eiji whispered, wiping his eyes harshly to make sure he isn't seeing things. Ash's figure, glowing, was standing on the balcony with the black-haired boy.

Ash, now standing behind Eiji, pulls him backwards, causing him to fall backwards and off the railing. "Sorry about that," Ash whispered, grabbing Eiji's hand and pulling him up. He turned Eiji to face the bright sky again, wrapping his left arm around his shoulder. "I've missed you. So did skip and shorter. You're quite popular now, aren't you, _big brother_?"

Eiji was silently crying now, with tears falling onto the balcony floor. He couldn't say anything, afraid that if he interacted with the blonde any longer that he'd disappear.

"Y'know how sad we'd be if you were to kill yourself, Eiji? We as in me, Skip, and Shorter. We're waiting for you, patiently. Theres no rush, Eiji. None of us got to live our lives to the fullest, so do me a favor and do it for us." Eiji moved his left hand to hold Ash's hand on his shoulder.

"I'm scared to let go, Ash. I'm scared you're gonna leave me again," Eiji sobbed. "I'm scared you're gonna do something reckless again."

"Want to know why? I did it so you'd be safe, so that you would stay out of danger. I know you could've never known, but I died there, smiling, knowing without me that you'd be safe. Not knowing you'd go and try to kill yourself. In a way, I'm flattered. Always remember you were the only person I've ever trusted enough to hold my gun. I read the letter, Eiji."

"I-I was told you died without being able to read it.."

"I read it. It was the last thing in my mind. 'My soul is always with you?' How cheesy. Couldn't have ended it with an 'I love you?'"

"What makes you think I love you?" He joked with a sad smile, squeezing his hand tighter.

"Well, I'd be upset if you were to tell me you didn't. I love you, Eiji." They both had stopped talking in a comfortable silence. They stared at the moon together once again, this time with one dead and one wishing he was. "Hey, Eiji. Don't do it, okay?"

"I don't want you to leave, Ash."

"Forgetting what you wrote already?" The blonde let out a sad chuckle. "'My soul is always with you.' The same goes for me. I'm always with you. I was with you the entire time. I'll always be with you. You don't understand how happy we were when we saw you all happy at that party. I was so happy i cried, seeing you be able to be happy without me."

"I made a gang leader cry?" he giggled, closing his eyes and rested his head on his shoulder. "I'm proud."

"You'd be surprised," he whispered, laying his head onto Eiji's head. "I love you, Eiji."

Ash turned Eiji's body to face his and placed the palm of his hand on his cheek and kissed him. The two were both crying softly. Ash's glow brightened and before they knew it, he was gone.

"I love you, Ash Lynx," Eiji whispered, smiling softly and looking back at the sky. "I love you," his salty tears still running down his cheeks.

"Wh-what the hell? you.. saw that- i mean.. him.. too?" Sing's voice echoed through the apartment with Max, Ibe, Kong, Alex, and Bones dropping their bags out of shock.

"Ash told me i should live my life for him, Skip, Shorter. He told me that he loved me and then left." he smiled, wrinkling his eyes slightly. "He saved me. He saved me so many times."  
  
  


"I'm fine, I promise! I won't try to do it again, Ash said I should live my life to the fullest!" Eiji complained to the worried Max and Ibe.

"Fine, fine! Do you want to try to go to the library again?" Ibe finally gave in, placing his hand on Eiji's shoulder.

Eiji nodded, "I'll go and get my jacket, it's pretty chilly out today!" He ran to his bedroom to grab his jacket, but what he found wasn't his small brown cardigan. It was Ash's. On top of the jacket was a small note, with messily written words on it.

"My soul is always with you. -Ash"

Inside the balled up jacket was the item that started everything. The small handgun that Ash had only trusted with Eiji. Nobody could touch it but Eiji. Ash had once shot a man's fingers when he tried to hold the gun. But when Eiji came in, asking to hold it, Ash did nothing but teach him how to properly hold it. Eiji came in, unlocking Ash's heart with his curious questions.

"Eiji, you coming?"

"Ye-yeah!" the young Japanese boy grabbed his soulmate's jacket and tugged it on. He placed the unloaded handgun and note on a shelf, where he could never forget about the person that he loved more than he loved himself.


	4. "I'm so sorry" & "Is that a pumpkin?"

It's been three years since Ash had visited Eiji. Eiji was living his life happily and continued to be the happy and selfless guy he used to be, with Ash's love and support from the sidelines. Not a day went by where eiji didn't think about ash. Everyday, he'd tell him that he loved him.

This was Eiji's first year back to America. After he had gotten the chance to talk to Ash, he went home to Japan for two years.

He was on the way to the way to the public library with Sing, Ibe and Max, where he'd read picture books to kids that struggled with mental and physical health problems. He was always there an hour early to pick out books with his closest friends. They were walking, it was a pretty nice day out. Plus, Sing was finally being able to move around with his crutches - he had broken his leg and a finger while fighting.

"Do you.. smell that?" Ibe asked, pointing out the obvious burning scent and smoke hovering through the city air.

"Yeah, theres.. screaming!" Max hollered, looking around the place to find the source. Eiji had spotted it right away. The large building for the kids he read to, on the way to the library. It housed all the kids that he befriended. It was a whole six stories high, like a small apartment for the kids.

"Hey, Eiji, wait!" Sing shouted to the boy, running towards the building.

"Please don't follow me! They'll trust me, they know me!" Eiji shouted, looking back briefly and continuing to run into the flames that were starting to engulf yet another building.

It had been a good ten minutes until the fire department and police had come. "Hey, my friend ran in there to help save them!" Sing desperately yelled at the firemen that were getting ready to enter.

Suddenly, before the firemen entered, a rather large group of kids and the elderly and one or two teachers walked out, stumbling and limping. Some had burns and some were coughing like their life depended on it. "Please, go save Mr. Eiji! He- he promised that he had powers and could help us!"

"Shh." 

"Yes, officers, there is a man that came in to save us. He managed to guide us through the smoke and flames but got injured and urged us to leave without him. Please make sure he is alright." a

Sing, Max, and Ibe all looked at each other with worried eyes. Eiji had lied.

Thirty minutes later, Eiji was carried out on a stretcher, where he was barely moving and his eyes were closed. Another half an hour later, the fire was completely put out. "Eiji!" Ibe yelled, running towards the ambulance once the fire was put out and they could finally be close to the building.

"The smoke has inflamed his lungs." an aid said to the other. The children and the inhabitants of the building were safely watching this scene from the side. "He could have safely escaped if the smoke particles did not cloud his vision. He's unconscious, but he put up quite a fight."

"Is Eiji.. is he.. dead?" Sing let out, gripping the crutches tighter, causing his knuckles to go white.

"We are sorry for your loss. He was pronounced dead since we brought him out. We'd like to pay our respects for the man that saved a building of elderly, kids, and their caretakers. Your friend is a hero." The female aid said, placing her hand on Sing's shoulder.

Sing, Ibe, and Max were all silently letting our tears of their own. They had all grown closer since Ash had died and now they had lost him too. After a while of a comfortable silence, Max spoke up. "Are you smiling, Ibe?"

"Yeah," he wiped his eyes with his long, folded sleeve. "Somehow I know he'll be just fine. Somehow I know that there's someone who's been waiting to take care of Eiji. He'll be okay."

Eiji woke up with a loud gasp, breathing in the smooth and refreshing breeze. He couldn't recognize where he was. The black haired boy stood up and started to walk around. The burns on the right side of his body that used to decorate his skin weren't there anymore. "Am I dead?" 

"I'm so sorry - i'm sorry!" He sobbed into his palms for what felt like an hour until he felt a hand on the top of his head.

"Are you that happy to see me?" It was Ash. it was Ash's hand on Eiji's head.

"As if, Ash," another voice from behind Ash.

A child's voice was heard, "Hey, don't be so mean!"

Eiji looked up, to only be greeted by a light peck and Ash's hands holding his face.

"Guys?" Eiji mumbled, looking behind Ash.

"Not gonna say anything to me, Eiji?" Ash pouted, helping Eiji up by lending him a hand. The blonde pulled him up.

"I'm sorry, guys.." Eiji started. Tears were slowly falling down his cheeks. "I didn't do it. I was so reckless I wasn't able to live the life you wanted me to. I wanted to do it for you."

"Hey, you're not thinking straight if you think you disappointed us. You died saving a bunch of kids." Shorter said, trying to comfort him. "It's alright, we're happy to see you nonetheless."

Ash and Shorter looked a little older, Ash with slightly longer hair, Shorter, taller. Skip, on the other hand, looked exactly the same. Skip whispered as if he knew what Eiji was thinking. "I didn't want to grow up yet."

He wrapped his small arms around the Japanese male. "I'm sorry."

"Hey, how many times are you gonna apologize for something that we look up to you for?" Ash questioned, ruffling Eiji's hair.

After eiji had let go of Skip and hugged Shorter, Ash walked up to him, "Hey, i saw that you told me you loved me everyday after I got to visit you," Ash teased. "Now I finally get to say it back to you."

Eiji sadly smiled and hugged the blonde. Eiji's arms were on top of ash's shoulders and the shorter one had to be on the tip of his toes. "Let's wait for Sing, and we're done."

"Done?" Eiji asked, pulling away from Ash.

"Hey- you haven't seen me in three years- let me hug you a little longer!" Ash complained, pulling Eiji back into a bear hug. "And yeah, we'll finally reincarnate. Ee've been waiting."

"Reincarnate into another life where you're not afraid of pumpkins anymore?" Eiji joked, small tears still falling out of his eyes.

Ash smiled and kissed his soulmate's tears away. "Yeah, i hope so."

"Are you two done with the pda? Wanna know something, Eiji?! While we were watching you live your life, he was planning your wedding!" Shorter chuckled, throwing a pebble at the two.

"I was not! It was just a couple suggestions!"

"Look, Ash! Look at that huge tower!" Skip yelled, running towards the large tower.

"That's the Tokyo Tower! Japan is filled with cool things like this! Maybe after I show you guys around the capital, we can go find my family and tell them I'm happy!"

\- - -

"Hey! we're gonna be late!" Eiji yelled to the group. "Come on, we're not even alive but you still take ages to get ready!" He whined, like an old mother.

"We're ready!" Skip said happily, popping up with a small matching suit and tie. Eiji nodded with a giddy smile and grabbed Skip's small hand.

"Dear friends and family, we are gathered here today to witness and celebrate the reunion of Jessica Randy and Max Lobo back in marriage."

"We almost missed it!" Shorter said, placing his hand on Eiji's head and ruffling his black hair slightly.

"Unfortunately, for our single female guests, we will not be having a bouquet toss," Max said through the microphone. The entire room was swallowed in high-pitched groans and questions, but Ibe shut them up with a simple question.

"Hey, may i say something real quick, Max and Jess?" Ibe asked, raising his hand from the front table. Max and his new wife smirked and handed Ibe the microphone. "This may sound a little bizarre for our friends and family, but is that a pumpkin in the corner?" he paused and pointed at the corner of the wedding venue. "That was all I wanted to say. Thank you. Congratulations to the newlyweds!"

Everybody found the 'speech' strange, but it had a secret meaning behind it. The pumpkin was sitting in the corner, contrasting front the white lace and decorations around it. Ash, Eiji, Shorter, and Skip were making their way to the corner when they spotted the small orange pumpkin. Ash stayed six feet away from the corner and covered his eyes with his hands because of his 'small' fear of pumpkins that started when he was younger. "Hey, Eiji, the top is cut off like a jack-o-lantern! Open it!" Shorter urged, pointing out the stem of the pumpkin.

Eiji reached for the top of the pumpkin and pulled it up. Inside, was a colorful bouquet of flowers with the label 'Eiji' on it. It was Jessica's bouquet that she had used. That's why there was no bouquet toss.

"Oh! Ash~ Eiji! You guys both know what that means!" Skip sung, practically hopping six feet into the air. "I'd like to be the flower boy, please and thank you!"

Eiji turned around with a smile on his face that easily reached his eyes. "Ash!"

Ash moved his hands away from his eyes only to find Eiji happily holding and lightly shaking the bouquet. "Ash, look!"

"Maybe pumpkins aren't all that bad.."

Eiji and Shorter snorted, the taller lightly patting the other's shoulder. "First, i need to do something."

"Congrats, max!" Ibe yelled, slapping the man's shoulder. "I'm gonna grab another slice of cake before your wedding ends! You've already said goodbye to all the guests but still haven't left yet?"

"Of course, but we're waiting for something to happen, if it does. Go ahead and get more cake, and bring me a slice, too."

Sing trotted over to the table that held the large white sheet cake with Ibe, about to grab more slices. Before he could grab a plate, he noticed the bride's bouquet of beautiful flowers back on the table. "Oi, guys! It happened!"

The three made their ways to the table, Jessica harshly squeezing Max's hand. "Ibe, you do it," Max groaned out from the pain of his hand being broken.

Ibe nodded with a slight smile and shakily lifted up the bouquet to see a paper resting under the petals. Ibe read the paper out loud, "Ash isn't scared of pumpkins anymore! ◡̈ -Eiji"


	5. epilogue

"Wake up, kid. it's your first day of school!" 

The young child woke up with a loud start. "Coming, mom!" he yelled back, rushing to the bathroom and hurriedly pulling on his uniform and brushing his teeth. 

"Are you excited for your first day?" his dad asked, patting the child's head and ruffling his hair. 

"Yeah.. but Cousin said I would get tired of school after a little while. but I don't think I will."

"Did you get that on camera, honey? We'll need to show him this when he's older and annoyed at school."

"Welcome to class, kids! I hope you are alright with the people next to you, because this class is strictly a friendly and talk-based class! You can talk to your classmates for a little bit until I say so!" the teacher explained, with a happy smile on her face. 

"Miss, i don't have a part-"

"I'm sorry i'm late!" another kid had said, running into the classroom and waving around the white tardy slip. He handed it to the teacher and the teacher pointed him towards the only empty seat.

The young brown-haired child looked at his new partner. He felt.. like he knew him. 

"Hey, do I know you?" the new student asked, nudging him in the shoulder. 

"I don't think so.." he said, avoiding awkward eye contact. 'Great, the first day and I already have social problems.' 

"So for this week we'll be doing fun activities! as you all must know, next month is October! What holiday is in October, kids?" the teacher began to pass out a coloring sheet.

The young black haired boy flipped over his paper, instantly feeling scared and wanting to cry, it was a pumpkin. The brunette had noticed his partner's uneasiness and started to remember. "Hey ash, it's okay! Look, it's a cute pumpkin!" He reached for a green and and pink crayon. He started to scribble a small drawing beside this partner's paper. "Look ash, its a flower! A happy flower!"

The raven-headed child wiped away his tears, looking down at the little flower on his paper. "Eiji," he whispered, smiling and grabbing the orange crayon and starting to messily scribble the paper.

The kids did not have all their memories, but you could say their bond in their past life was so strong the that they had somehow .. remembered. The two boys had grown up together. They were best friends, slowly regaining their memories of their past life together. Both of their parents had wondered why they called each other "Ash" and "Eiji" but never questioned it.

The two were now just beginning their high school life. "Hey Ei, promise to meet me at lunch every single day?"

"Only if you buy me food," he smiled, intertwining their pinkies and laughing. At this point, they both could only remember parts. They knew each other's names, and how Eiji pole vaulted. Ash still had his strangely high IQ and Eiji was still the selfless person he was before. 

"Ei!" the raven yelled, running towards their promised meeting spot. The two both had a person to join their friend group. A blonde and another brunette. 

Eiji and Ash stood across from each other, with all three of their new friends beside the two, forming a strange circle. without a thought, the group clapped their hands in a group high five. 

The moment that their hands hit each others, their memories came flooding back. Ash was a beautiful gang leader, and Eiji was his angel. Shorter was their right hand, the iconic best friend. Sing was another young gang leader, and Skip was apart of a gang, dying at a young age. Now, they were all the same age, joined in the high school courthouse. 

Eiji's new persona jumped into Ash's arms, hugging him tightly. "We made it, Ash. We made it."

"We really did, didn't we?" Ash whispered, a tear letting loose from his eye. "With Skip, Sing, and Shorter, too, huh?"

"We did it!" Skip giggled, high-fiving shorter. "Though it's weird being taller than Ash.." 

"Looks like even going into another life couldn't keep us apart!" Shorter laughed.

"Now i'm glad you waited for me," sing mumbled happily, wrapping his arms around the group of five.


End file.
